57th Assembly candidate Mosley criticizes broken Atlantic Yards promises, "toothless" CBA (but last November saluted CBA signatory BUILD and Forest City Ratner)
Walter Mosley, a candidate to succeed his friend Hakeem Jeffries as the Assemblymember for the 57th District, spoke last night at a forum for candidates sponsored by Prospect Heights Democrats for Reform. The rival candidates are Olanike Alabi and Martine Guerrier.
"I love basketball," Mosley said. "But there were promises for basketball, promises for jobs... promises for affordable housing. But unfortunately, the developer has broken our trust. The developer has broken those promises."
"We now have a toothless document called a CBA [Community Benefits Agreement], that really serves no one in the community," Mosley said, speaking to an organization that included many critics of Atlantic Yards.
A different tune
I should point out that, when speaking last November at a ceremony for customer service training graduates organized by CBA signatory BUILD, Mosley was more effusive about the CBA and the developer:
Last night, Mosley said he supported the Atlantic Yards Governance Act sponsored by state Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Jeffries, which would allow for a separate governance entity to be established, incorporating community input.
He warned about public-private partnerships going forward. "Ultimately, we have to do things differently," he said. "This is a learning moment, unfortunately, for us."
He said, "Do we need a compliance officer, separate and apartment from the developer? Yes." It's not quite clear what he meant, given that Empire State Development, the state agency overseeing the project, has an environmental monitor and an owner's representative. But it's impossible to get those reports without filing a Freedom of Information Law request, so the process is hardly transparent.
Mosley also cited the need to increase two- and three-bedroom units in the project
"I love basketball," Mosley said. "But there were promises for basketball, promises for jobs... promises for affordable housing. But unfortunately, the developer has broken our trust. The developer has broken those promises."
"We now have a toothless document called a CBA [Community Benefits Agreement], that really serves no one in the community," Mosley said, speaking to an organization that included many critics of Atlantic Yards.
A different tune
I should point out that, when speaking last November at a ceremony for customer service training graduates organized by CBA signatory BUILD, Mosley was more effusive about the CBA and the developer:
"We are blessed that we have a group like BUILD, a company like Forest City Ratner, who did not ignore the necessity to occupy Central Brooklyn, to make sure places like Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Bed-Stuy, and Ocean Hill, Brownsville, people who live in those communities have an opportunity to make a difference... I've got to occupy Central Brooklyn. We've got to make sure that people in Central Brooklyn are working.”Need for governance reform
Last night, Mosley said he supported the Atlantic Yards Governance Act sponsored by state Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Jeffries, which would allow for a separate governance entity to be established, incorporating community input.
He warned about public-private partnerships going forward. "Ultimately, we have to do things differently," he said. "This is a learning moment, unfortunately, for us."
He said, "Do we need a compliance officer, separate and apartment from the developer? Yes." It's not quite clear what he meant, given that Empire State Development, the state agency overseeing the project, has an environmental monitor and an owner's representative. But it's impossible to get those reports without filing a Freedom of Information Law request, so the process is hardly transparent.
Mosley also cited the need to increase two- and three-bedroom units in the project
Comments
Post a Comment